Sinn Fein Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin has described todays
announcement that British troops are being withdrawn from Belfast
as `insufficient' and `inadequate in terms of the British
government's commitments under the Good Friday Agreement.''

Mr. McLaughlin said:

``The British Army should be immediately withdrawn from the north.
Moreover Mr. Flannagan should note that his force, the RUC, is
equally unacceptable to nationalists and it too should be
withdrawn from nationalist and republican areas.

``With all but one of the armed groups on cessation there is now
no excuse for hilltop posts or other British/RUC military
installations, or for British troops in the north, or for special
laws.

``In the Agreement Mr. Blair agreed to publish an `overall
strategy' to tackle demilitarisation. This commitment has yet to
be fulfilled.''ENDS